Article supporting device



Nov. 15, 1955 R. DRYSDALE ARTICLE SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed Dec. 26, 1952INVENTQR ROEEAT 0/?)0'0445 TORNEYS Tia.2.

This invention relates to devices for supporting articles,

and more particularly to devices for engaging supporting thin flexiblearticles such as blueprints or the like.

Persons familiar with architectural or engineeringbffices will bestappreciate the problem "er stoi'ing large,

quantities of tracings, drawings or blueprints so'as'to preserve thesame in good condition, and yet have them readily available forinspection. Rolling of the drawings is obviously not asatisfactory,jsolution, andtherefore, within a relatively short period,of time, there has been developed a type of clasp adapted forengagement with the paper drawing or print and arranged to be hung on arail or rails. While these clasp devices have acquired some degree ofcommercial success, they possess certain inherent shortcomings andrelatively high manufacturing cost which have prevented their morewidespread acceptance. I i

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide adevice arranged to engage edge portions of a drawing or the like andwhich is. readily adapted for large scale economical mass productionmethods.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed in which means are provided for positively and efiectivelyenclosing opposed surface portions therebetween whereby said device andthe article clamped therein may be integrally handled and supported.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the abovetype particularly adapted to be releasably and slidably connected to ahorizontal rail or rack so that by using a pair of such devices onspaced portions of a drawing, the latter may be hung from a pair ofsimilarly spaced rails for ready sliding movement.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a device as abovedescribed in which improved clamping means are utilized for securing thedevice and its associated article to a horizontal supporting member,such clamping means positively preventing accidental dislodgment of thedevice from said member, while at the same time permitting readydeliberate removal when it is necessary to examine or work on thearticle supported thereby.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device of the typereferred to whose overall thickness is reduced to a minimum, therebypermitting a large number of such devices to be hung on a single lengthof support rod.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set United States Patent to besecured to a drawing or like article generally identified by the numeral11, and releasably support such drawing on one or preferably a pair ofparallel spaced rails or rods 12. As will be understood, with the railsbeing horizontally disposed, the drawings or blueprints 11 will lie ingenerally vertical planes, and a large quantity of such drawings may behung in a compact manner, in much the same manner as a large number ofarticles of wearing apparel may be supported on a plurality. of

clothes hangers in a closet. Such an arrangementis not only convenientfor storage, but has the further advantage of rendering thevindividualdrawings readilyidentifiable andaccessible for withdrawal and use. Ashere shown,

the rails 12 are shown as cylindrical in form with the ends thereofmounted to a cross-bar 13 of a standard 14 the latter being of a heightsufiicient to render the height of the supported articles at aconvenient distance from the ground. However, the exact constructionaldetails of the rail assembly is not important towards an understandingof the invention which is concerned with the means for operativelyinterconnecting the drawing 11 with the rails 12. i

As here shown, my improved article supporting device includes a pair ofcooperating clamp members 16 and 17 between which the article or drawing11 is adapted to be placed. Both of the members are, of generally fiatrectangular construction, and clamp 17 is provided at its upper edgewith a U-shaped reversed bent portion 18, this portion receiving theupper edge of clamp 17. It will be noted that the recess defined byportion 18 is wider than the thickness ofclamp 17, thus permittingrelative opposed movement between the'ciamps. Provided in the uppersurface of the bent portion 18 is an .elongated slot 19 through which atab 21 extends. This tab is formed integrally with clamp 16 and iscoplanar therewith, the width of the tab being substantially less thanthe transverse width of the clamp members. The upper portion of tab 21is provided with a book 22, the latter having an arcuate form permittingslidable engagement with rails 12.

Means are utilized to cooperate with hook 22 to prevent accidentaldislodgment of the device from the rails while still permitting freesliding movement therealong.

Such means include a second book member 23 of substantially the sameshape as book 22, and pivotally secured to tab 21 by a rivet 24 or anyother suitable connection. As will be seen from Figure I, hook 23 may beswung into a locking position (as shown in the left hand side of thefigure) wherein an enclosure 26 is provided for rail 12, and preventingremoval of the device from the rail, to an open position (as viewed inthe right hand side of the figure) wherein the device may be readilyremoved.

In order to secure the drawing 11 or other supported article to theclamps, the article is inserted between members 16 and 17 until theupper edge of the article engages the inner peripheral surface ofportion 18. At this time, if the metal or other material comprising themembers 16 and 17 is sufliciently thin, one or more staples 31 may bepunched through the members and article, securing them together.However, if the material is too heavy to readily permit such anoperation, one or more pairs of spaced holes 32 may be provided in therespective clamp members, the spacing of the holes in each pair corresponding to the spacing of the deformable staple portions.

Patented Nov. 15, 1955 Then, 'it is only required'that the staple piercethe drawing 11, but the same interengagement with members 16 and 17 willbe effected.

To further insure retention of the drawing, I prefer to provide on clampmembers 16 and 17, cooperating arcuate offset portions 36 and 37respectively, such portions extending for the entire transverse width ofthe members. In this manner, a crimp is placed in the drawing, makingaccidental removal thereof from the clamps a remote possibility.

From the foregoing description, the construction and operation of myimproved device will be clear, and it will be readily understood howthedrawings may be stapled or otherwise secured to a pair of spaced devicesthereby permitting the hanging of the drawings from rail members withoutthe usual danger of accidental removal. It will also be appreciated thatthe devices are very flat, thereby allowing a large number of drawingsequipped with such devices to be hung in a minimum space.

I claim:

1. An article supporting device including a pair of cooperating membersbetween which a relatively fiat article is adapted to be placed andclamped therebetween, one of said members having an integral tabextension thereon extending from a medial portion thereof, the other ofsaid members having a bent edge portion defining a groove for receivingan edge portion of said first mentioned member, means on said portiondefining a slot for slidably receiving said tab extension whereby bothof said members may be supported by said tab extension, a hook-likemember disposed at the distal end of said extension, and means forsecuring an article between said members.

2. A device for supporting a relatively fiat thin article including apair of substantially planar similar clamp members between which anarticle may be placed, one of said members having a flange adjacent anupper edge thereof with an opening in said flange, means defining ahook-like element operatively connected to the other of said members andextending through said opening for supporting the both of said members,a second hook like element, and means pivotally connecting said latterelement to said first element whereby said elements may be selectivelypositioned to provide an enclosure and to be openedto permit removal ofsaid device from a support element.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which each of said clamp membersare provided with aligned apertures arranged to receive a fastenerelement to fasten an article therebetween.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which each of said clamp membersare provided with substantially parallel crimped portions of generallyarcuate form.

5. A device of the character described for clamping and supporting arelatively fiat article comprising a relatively fiat first member ofgenerally rectangular shape,

a second member substantially the same as said first member, meansadjacent a longitudinally extending edge of said second member definingwith said member a longitudinally extending groove in which an edgeportion of said first member is adapted to be seated whereby opposedplanar portions of said members may be positioned in contiguousrelationship, said means including a longitudinally extending slotopening generally normal to the plane of said second member, a tabformed integrally with said first member and extending through saidslot, said tab having a generally U-shaped hook formed at the upper endthereof whereby said hook and member may be hung from a horizontalsupport element.

6. A device as characterized in claim 5 in which a second hook isprovided, said second hook being pivotally secured to said tab and inopposed relation to said first hook, said second hook being selectivelymovable from and towards said first hook so as to provide a releasableenclosure, and means in said first and second members adapted to receivea fastener.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which said first and secondmembers are provided with complementary offset portions extendinggenerally longitudinally thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

